North Point Park

Your Guide

North Point Park is a 14-acre park on the East Cambridge waterfront designed by Carr Lynch and Sandell. Located in the “lost half mile” of the Charles River between the 1910 Charles River Dam and the new Charles River Dam built in 1978, the park was completed in 2007 as part of the Big Dig mitigation.

The North Bank Bridge was completed in 2012 and extends over the commuter rail tracks to connect North Point Park and Paul Revere Park. Designed by Ammann & Whitney in collaboration with Buro Happold and Julian Hakes, the sinusoidal bridge is a spectacular new addition to the park system. It's the third of five pedestrian and bicycle bridges that will connect the new parks on both sides of the river and cross the North Station railroad tracks.

New Park Spurs Development

The North Point neighborhood has seen significant office and commercial development, including the North American corporate headquarters for EF (Education First), as well as significant multi-story housing, including the Regatta Riverview Residences.

Image: Roger Boothe

A Naturalistic Setting

A waterway was created to form two islands inside the historic 1930 seawall. Oehme van Sweden collaborated with Carr Lynch and Sandell in the landscape design to provide a naturalistic setting with lush water-edge planting that offers park users a more intimate connection with the river.

Image: Roger Boothe

Playground

A large playground centrally located within the park is close to the new residential development.

Image: Halvorson Design Partnership

A Visual High Point

One of the important insights of the master plan was the architects’ suggestion that the historic seawall be lowered to enhance the visual connection with the Charles River. The excavation for the waterway provided the base to raise the round island in the foreground, creating a visual high point at the right-angle bend in the seawall. Lawns and sloping seating areas with a shade tree canopy were designed to emphasize the river views of the 1910 Green Line Viaduct, the bascule railroad bridges, and the cable-stayed Zakim Bridge.

Image: Bob Coe

Iconic Bridge in View

View looking from North Point Park to the North Bank Bridge and the new, iconic Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge. A new state-of-the-art skatepark is planned immediately adjacent to North Point Park under the ramp underpass, which should attract skateboarders from around the country.

Image: CRJA

Duck Tours Infrastructure

Boston Duck Tours built a temporary boat ramp years before park construction began and then the company funded the permanent ramp as well as the pedestrian bridge over the ramp.

Image: Halvorson Design Partnership

Lush Native Plants

North Point Park showcases Oehme Van Sweden’s expert use of native plantings, with large sweeps of grasses, perennials, and bulbs set under diverse ornamental and water-tolerant trees.

Image: Roger Boothe

North Bank Bridge

The North Bank Bridge, shown in the foreground, was completed in 2012 and connects North Point Park and Paul Revere Park, ending underneath the Zakim Bridge. Designed by Ammann & Whitney with Buro Happold and Julian Hakes, the sinesoidal bridge is a spectacular new addition to the park system and is one of five proposed non-motorized multi-modal bridges planned to connect the basin parks on both sides of the river and across the North Station railroad tracks.

Image: CRJA

Light Art

Ross Miller created the striped-light poles along the walkway that connect with the nearby community college. Miller also designed the perforated stainless-steel light columns, which allow for combinations of 12 different colors and are controlled by a wireless phone app. The sinesoidal bridge is illuminated by a continuous band of white LED lights in the handrails. At night, the LEDs create a 700-foot-long band of light that follows the grade of the bridge.